The LA Times had an article that said something the effect "Are critics too harsh on Barry Manilow and too kind to Brian Wilson?" I was interested to click on this but had used up my 4 free articles. I may have to subscribe to this LA Times based on the data!
It just so happens, I saw Brian Wilson and band at the Taft Theater this past week. I haven't seen Barry but the Brian Wilson Band was phenomenal, no doubt spurred on by the Zombies and their note-perfect version of "Oddesy and the Oracle" as the opening act. When I saw Brian in my hometown last fall, He seemed miserable and Blondie Chaplin was either very high or drunk. On top of that, my seats sucked!
I paid for 4th row and it was worth it. Brian still makes me sad. Imagine if the Count Basie Orchestra preserved the Count in a hybartic chamber and took him around to "take the A train". That's about the shape of it. Though it's almost worth it when he shockingly takes the bridge to "Wouldn't it be Nice" or sings "Until I Die" or does Dennis' "Little Bird". Even C grade Beach Boys is better than most groups A-game, and Darian and the boys arrange and deliver to perfection. Matt Jardine and Rob (Carnie's husband) could keep this going how Brian envisioned in his first autobiography. He used the Four Freshman as the example of a group with no original members that delivers the goods for future generations.
I also listened to Morrissey's "Maladjusted". It's a forgotten classic. I remember when it came out. I was struggling with a health crisis and my friends were very worried. They would get annoyed when they came over and I'd play it for them. "Trouble Loves Me" would have been a nice song to play over the final credits. You will probably only find the expanded version online. The b-sides are very strong dilute the finished "product": a well-produced CD ( made for the format- won't be better on Vinyl) of elder statesman songwriting.